Syracuse, N.Y. -- New Yorkers who enroll by Monday in health plans through the state's health insurance exchange are getting 10 extra days to pay their first premium.

New York is giving consumers until Jan. 10 to make their first payments, according to Lisa Sbrana, a lawyer with the state exchange.

Monday is the enrollment deadline for consumers who want health insurance that takes effect Jan. 1

Insurers nationwide are offering the grace period because there's so little time between Monday's deadline and Jan. 1 for insurers to send out bills and consumers to pay them during the holiday period.

Although there is a 10-day grace period, the health insurance will not take effect until insurers receive the first premium payment, said Joy Davia Auch of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

That means consumers who do not pay the premium before Jan. 1 will have to pay out of pocket for any medical services they receive until insurers get the first premium payment and activate coverage between Jan. 1 and Jan. 10, she said.

Consumers would then have to submit any claims that were incurred before the premium was paid and the insurer would make their coverage retroactive to Jan. 1, she said.

"We are doing everything we can to get everyone in by the Dec. 23 deadline so folks have time to get invoices and get those paid," Sbrana said.

Nearly all Americans must have health insurance next year or face a penalty of $95, or 1 percent of income, whichever is greater. To avoid the penalty, people must enroll by March 31, 2014.

You can contact health writer James T. Mulder at jmulder@syracuse.com or (315) 470-2245. Follow him on Twitter @JamesTMulder